Where the Earth Touches the Sky
by The Sandrock Gal
Summary: Thought about the first chapter as I was going to sleep one night. 4OC. Need advice on where to take it from here. R&R w suggestion, please!
1. Default Chapter

DISCLAIMER: You all know it. I don't own Gundam Wing. Wish I did. Then I could make Quatre play the violin for me and Trowa can have knives thrown at him...oh, but anyway. Don't sue me. Enjoy.  
  
And yes, the chapters will be this short.  
  
Chapter One: The Stranger's Gold  
  
In a busy bazaar in a town near the Winner Family base on Earth, a cloaked young lady walked through crowds slowly. All she wanted was to buy a water thermos so she could carry on to the Euphrates Airbase. From there she could escape to the colonies and never look back.  
  
~  
  
"I'm very sorry to hear that, Mr. - Oh, I see..." Quatre Winner listened intently on the phone to the Egyptian Royal Advisor. Suddenly his expression turned even graver. "Really?...of course, I will. Alright, good-bye sir."  
  
As Quatre hung up the phone he glanced out his window. A sort of whisper was going through the crowds, as they turned and stared, pointing at a hooded figure that was passing.  
  
Quatre left the base and stood out of the building, watching the people gawk and murmur. He had only just come for a vacation from the colonies, so this was the first bit of excitement he had.  
  
"Master Quatre."  
  
Quatre turned to a tall, dark man beside him. "Hello, Rashid."  
  
"What did Mr. Abdul say, if I may ask."  
  
"It will be on the news soon enough, Rashid. Early this morning King Armand of the Egyption Republic was assasinated."  
  
Rashid was silent, contemplating over the news. The mysterious figure had passed them by that time. "I see. Do they have an idea as to who could be behind it?"  
  
"No. But he asked a favor of us," Quatre said, his attention returning back to the crowd. "After the assasination, Princess Rehya his daughter, disappeared. We must keep an eye out for her."  
  
"I'll alert the rest of the Core right now, Master Quatre."  
  
"You don't have to Rashid. I have found her."  
  
Quatre uncrossed his arms and meandered away into the crowd that was gazing at the cloaked figure.  
  
~  
  
Rehya hoped the market people would not stare. She was beginning to think stopping for water wasn't such a good idea anymore, but she needed the nourishment. It was the afternoon, and she had been travelling through the desert the whole morning on her camel.  
  
"She paid with solid gold..." A whisper would say.  
  
"Who is she?" said another.  
  
Rehya knew the Winner family base was near this town, and no doubt the news of her father's death reached the Magornac Core stationed here. Therefore her face would be wanted.  
  
Father.  
  
To see his very image in her mind made her weak. But she had to leave quickly. In the colonies, she would not be forced to take up the crown, something that staying on Earth would mean and had just as much appeal to Rehya as getting bitten by an asp.  
  
The ground so far - sand and rocks - passed beneath her quickly enough. But when a pair of large feet wearing sandals obstructed her path, she stopped.  
  
"Please allow me through," Rehya said, head still bent in case one of them recognized her.  
  
"Just a minute, ma'am. We're not poor around here, but we ain't rich either. So we know what's normal and what isn't and ma'am, who pays for water with gold?"  
  
The crowd was silent. People stuck their heads out windows of buildings. Children were hushed. They waited. As Rehya opened her mouth to reply, someone did it for her instead.  
  
"A Winner Sister might pay solid gold," said a young man's voice. Rehya was forced to raise her head to see who the speaker was.  
  
~  
  
The people started their murmuring again. Quatre hated to lie but he needed the Princess away from the market.  
  
"Your sister, Master Quatre?" said the large man who blocked her way.  
  
"Why yes, Lorna Winner. She's visiting for the day." Quatre made it through the crowds to the disguised Princess.  
  
"Oh! Well, why didn't you say so, miss?"  
  
Quatre smiled at Princess Rehya, hoping she would play along. She glanced at him quizically and then at the man with her mouth agape.  
  
"Uh, well, I wanted it to be a surprise," She said weakly.  
  
"Many apologies, Lady Lorna, we had no idea," said the man with a polite bow.  
  
"It is alright, sir."  
  
"Come Your Majesty," Quatre said as the people started to return to their jobs, obviously fooled. "We have a lot to talk about." 


	2. Double Barrels

DISCLAIMER: See first chapter  
  
Chapter Two:  
  
The Princess followed Quatre into a hidden entrance to the underground base. Rashid greeted them halfway, and continued to a small, classically decorated room.  
  
Quatre invited Princess Rehya to take a seat and called for tea. A moment later a member of the Magornac Core came in with a tray with three cups, leaving promptly. Politely smiling, Quatre offered the Princess a cup, which she took, but had not sat down yet.  
  
"How does Quatre Raberba Winner recognize a cloaded person in a crowd?" She asked, removing her hood and exposing straight, short, raven hair and a tan face with dark eyes that were used to observing subjects.  
  
"Well, the people are right; no ordinary person would pay with gold, especially a person who has disappeared. Please, make yourself comfortable."  
  
The Princess dropped her gaze to her tea. "I'm afraid I will not be comfortable until I am in the colonies."  
  
Rashid exchanged questionable looks with Quatre, who's smile faded but hearing heightened. "Your disappearance was not because of foul play then, as I have been told."  
  
"Hardly, Mr. Winner."  
  
Quatre nodded. "You should know, Your Majesty, that we are very sorry about your father." When Princess Rehya did not respond, Quatre continued in a quieter voice, "I suppose I'll contact Mr. Abdul now, to let him know you'll be returning to Egypt shortly."  
  
"Please don't."  
  
~  
  
Quatre Raberba Winner was young like Rehya. She hope he would understand her.  
  
"You don't want to go back?"  
  
*But just in case...*  
  
"I'm sorry, gentlemen," Rehya said. Her teacup crashed on the white carpet as she raised the two shotguns that were hidden under her cloak in the small of her back. The two barrels were pointed at Quatre and his advisor, Mr. Rashid. Mr. Rashid made a move to get his own weapon, but Rehya clicked the gun and he stopped in his tracks.  
  
"I'm sorry gentlemen," She repeated. A small smile came over her face. "I am not usually like this. But I cannot allow anyone to find me."  
  
"Why?" Quatre Winner asked with a calm voice.   
  
"I ran away, Mr. Winner," Rehya told him. "And I wouldn't have came into your town if I knew I'd have to kill the two of you. But you see, that is what I must do, for if I simply escape no doubt you will alert my father's advisors, and I cannot let them know I am alive."  
  
She clicked the gun that was pointed at Quatre.  
  
"Put the guns down, Your Majesty," He said just as calm. "Whatever reason you have for running away can be resolved, can't it?"  
  
"No. My way is easier."  
  
"Killing people doesn't solve anything," Mr. Rashid said behind her in his deep voice.  
  
"Good-bye, Mr. Rashid - "  
  
"I'll help!"  
  
Rehya stopped her finger from pulling the trigger of the shotgun and turned to face Quatre Winner. When she spoke, her voice was a bit more uneasy. "What do you know of my troubles, Mr. Winner? How could you help me?"  
  
"Just put down the guns and tell me, and I promise you I will help. But you're going to have to trust me."  
  
The shaky in her voice somehow transfer to her two hands with the weapons in them. A silent tear fell. "Don't you see, I'm just making the inevitable." 


End file.
